Electric switch operator



Jan. 10, 1956 A. M. MIDGLEY ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATOR Filed April 17,1951 United States Patent ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATOR Albert MorrellMidgley, Northwood, England, assignor of one-half to Albert HenryMidgley, Northwood, England Application April 17, 1951, Serial No.221,356

Claims priority, application Great Britain April 24, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl.74-504) This invention relates to electric switches for use with tratiicindicators on motor vehicles.

In the specifications of patent applications Nos. 123,195 and 206,003,new U. S. Patents 2,636,089 and 2,656,423 respectively, there arerespectively described and claimed a delay action electric switch forperiodically breaking the circuit during the period of delay so as tooperate a flashing signal to indicate the direction in which a vehicleis about to turn, and a delay action switch as above with additionalcontacts by which the switch may also operate the usual semaphore armseither in addition to, or in substitution for, the flasher signals.

An object of the present invention is to increase the sphere ofusefulness of such a switch so as to make it particularly suitable foruse on motor-buses and other commercial vehicles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means forprotecting the switch mechanism against damage due to shock in the eventof the operative member of the switch being roughly handled by thedriver.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the descriptiongiven hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front end elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front end view with the actuating handle removed;

Figure 3 is a section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner, I formthe body of my improved switch with two parts of different diameters,the main part 16 containing the delay action clockwork and contactmechanism, while the other part 17 has mounted therein a spindle 18 onwhich is secured the switch handle 19 adapted to be manipulated by thedriver, which handle may be formed with a knob part 20 embracing thesmaller part of the body. Mounted on a squared part of the spindle 18 orotherwise rigidly secured thereto is a spider member 21 controlled by acoil spring 22 anchored with its ends one on each side of a pillarformed by a screw 23 in the casing, the part 21a of the spider memberengaging the spring being formed with a turned-over T-shaped endengaging between the ends of the spring. The spider member is somewhatsector-shaped with two fingers 21b spaced angularly apart from oneanother, and when the switch handle is moved in one direction or theother, after an initial lost-motion rotation, one or other of thefingers contacts a tongue-piece 24 formed in an arm on a disc 25 whichis an easy fit on the inner end of the spindle, the arm 25a having aturned-over bifurcated end 26 extending therefrom and adapted to embracea Phosphor bronze or like arm 27 mounted upon the spindle 31 in the mainpart of the switch body on which is also mounted a cam 32 for setting inoperation the clockwork mechanism substantially in the manner describedin the earlier specifications referred to.

The circumferential movement of the tongue-piece 24 is limited by thearcuate slot 17a in the part 17.

A window 28 is provided for the tell-tale lamp and a spring-loaded plug29 in the hand actuating part 30. The switch handle 19 co-operates witha recess 17b in the part 17 to locate the switch handle in its centralposition. The arrangement is such that if the switch handle is roughlymanipulated the switch mechanism will be completely protected fromshock.

Thus, as mentioned, the initial rotation is first opposed by a spring;then after a period of lost-motion rotation the spider member engagesthe tongue-piece of the radial arm and rotates the radial arm and thenthe rotation of the tongue-piece is stopped by its engagement With theend wall of the arcuate slot in the switch body.

When the switch handle is released it is rapidly restored to its normalposition by means of the coil spring, while the radial arm is restoredmore slowly by means of the clockwork mechanism.

So far as concerns the clockwork, clockwork operat ing workingmechanism, and flasher signal operating switch mechanism, the improvedswitch may be formed much in the manner described in the earlierspecification.

I claim:

1. An operating handle device for mechanism of the A type having ahousing, an operating shaft in said housing and a radial operating armsecured to the shaft, said device comprising a knob, a spindle securedto said knob and journalled in a wall of said housing coaxially withsaid shaft, a fixed post carried by said housing, a spiral springloosely surrounding said spindle and having its terminals extendingradially of the spindle to engage closely on either side of said post, aspider member secured to said spindle having a first tongue lyingbetween the terminals of said spring to define a centered position forthe knob, a pair of angularly spaced radial fingers on said spidermember, a disc loose on said spindle having a second tongue disposedbetween said fingers for lostmotion movement thereby and a bifurcatedmember on said disc engaging the said radial operating arm to rotate thesame upon movement of said knob to either side of its centered position.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which said housing isprovided with an arcuate slot of limited angular length, and in whichsaid second tongue passes through said slot to limit its movement inboth directions of rotation of said disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,226,810 Redfield May 22, 1917 2,056,193 Hubbell Oct. 6, 1936 2,230,994Arbuckle et al Feb. 11, 1941 2,270,866 Cotesworth et al Ian. 27, 1942FOREIGN PATENTS 81,246 Sweden Aug. 21, 1934 542,363 Germany Jan. 23,1932 764,490 France Mar. 5, 1934

